Reactions and Suggestions (LOTS)

[Ravt]

I'm not even sure where to begin--perhaps I should share my experiences briefly so my suggestions and thoughts can be best understood.

1. I've only have about a week and a half or so of play.

2. I hadn't clued into grave robbing until MUCH later & Pig King trading NEVER occurred to me until checking forums.

3. I've exhausted my map.

That should be sufficient--now my thoughts:

First, I completely agree with the concern about research points and powerful gold tools--but I have a different perspective . . . you see, since I didn't dig up grave items until recently, I was ALWAYS at a loss for research points. Because I had to use GOLD. That, in turn, held up my development for gold tools, which others have also expressed a concern about being OP. To me, they weren't--I had to conserve gold just to get them, and had to choose which research items to NOT research just to get the better tools.

In other words, I don't think there's necessarily a problem with the research points themselves--but the fact that grave items are worth an enormous amount of research--That, combined with the fact that the pig king gives an enormous amount of gold makes the actual value of gold items and research points and grave items disproportionate. ESPECIALLY since the items aren't used for anything else! What ELSE are you going to spend them on other than research or gold?

Since I never found those items, I had to travel and explore the entire map just to find gold to continue research. It made for a much more challenging and interesting game.

I think the research value of grave items needs to be nerfed (I support the idea that's been mentioned regarding first time research being worth more, and successive research points as being less)--and/or there needs to be an opportunity cost: Like the amulet is expended in making certain "Magic" items, and if you spend an amulet on research, you won't be able to use it in a "Magic" recipe.

In addition, the gold given by the pig king needs to be reigned in, allowing gold to be rarer and therefore worth MORE. This also made another problem clearer to me . . . the complete uselessness of stone. It's hardly used at all, when it could actually be a very useful material--especially in terms of adverse seasons (a concept I LOVE). I've listed a few suggested recipes to take advantage of this below.

THE WORLD------------------

Next, from MY perspective, the world is actually pretty small--I know most others were able to capitalize on the excess gold and gold tools, but I had to scour the map for my resources, and this made me realize just how small of a space I had to cover. I know it's a randomly generated world, and so I can't speak for others' experiences went . . . but I could go from one end of the islands to the other in two quick days. That's pretty quick. I think the suggestions like seasons and other biomes/regions (Mountainous & craggy, snowy, super hot deserts, rainforests, etc) could help increase the difficulty and risk of travel, while also improving the vastness of the world and providing for rarer resources.

I think caves would be fantastically fun--more options and challenges for mining, but things like mushrooms, and other monsters. They'd essentially be a block of land that's perpetually dark. THAT intrigues me.

That said, here's my suggestions and thoughts for other items/recipes:

RECIPIES-------------------------

ROPES-- (Grass is arguably be the most used material, but it's insanely valuable and useful for everything)

Climbing harness (Clothes)--allows players to walk over rocky terrain in mountains

Candles--(With Wax, for a MUCH longer lasting torch)

Fishing net--I know this has been mentioned, but thought I'd support it here

STONE (As such an underused resource, it could REALLY be a huge benefit for season and adverse regions):

Walls--Whether out of stones or cut stone, these could help to corral/herd/block monsters and animals.

Alter--This could be a mid-tier science structure that actually unlocks more 'magic' recipes

Pots--Early storage of valuable liquids

Pipes--I know it's been said that hydration hasn't been a concern, though I think having a track that takes longer to drain (DAYS even) but is EASILY replenished (a single gulp of water) makes sense to me. But even MORE important, moving water leads to more complicated things: Irrigation and mills--which means potential for powering evil science.

WOOD

Bow&Arrows--I understand this is already suggested/in the works, but it bears repeating.

Fishing Rod-- Again, I understand fishing is to be incorporated Soon, so this seems obvious, but worth repeating.

Boat--Am I the only one who wished there was a faster way to travel?

Spike Trap--I'd love to see a trap that can be used for larger creatures.

Sled--see below.

ICE--(If they're including inclement weather or snowy regions, it'd be logical to pick up ice.)

Cooler--Idk about you, but I always had stacks of meat. If they expired earlier it'd up challenge and make this HUGE.

Snowballs--'cause that'd just be cool.

Some sort of snow magic that slows monsters?

SAND--(Deserts would logically be tough to travel, but they have some pretty valuable items)

Refined to GLASS

GLASS--(This is a HUGE step towards upper tier recipes)

Telescope--Quick expiration tool that reveals sections of the map.

Mirror--Used in 'Magic'

Jars--to store liquids, medicine, storing fireflies/butterflies (Combine w/ metal, poison (Acid) for BATTERIES)

POISON--(From spiders or other venemous creatures)

MEDICINE--(From Rainforest plants)

Cures 'Werepigs' or poisoning

MAGIC-- (I'd LOVE to see more esoteric magic stuff here--I LOVE the effigy, and would love to see something else)

Portals?--Honestly, ANY better way of getting around after having explored thoroughly.

Healing--some method of improving health without affecting hunger or the up and coming track.

Amulets--these really need to have a more focused purpose instead of being basically high value currency--and I think magic is the place for that. I'd even love to see the ability to MAKE amulets by using a comparable amount of gold combined with a rare jewel drop of some sort . . . So long as the value is roughly equivalent.

A LOT of potential recipes are dependent upon end-game. Personally, I'd love to see players able to choose between evil science and magic. Either using batteries combined with wires combined with metal, wood and stone for some robots, crazy lightening weapons, esoteric magic etc. to bring down whatever the end game has in store.

The survival here is super fun, but at a certain point it's no longer survival--it's farming and exploration--and I can't wait to see what sort of direct opposition we get to bring us back to survival once just staying alive becomes easy. I also can't wait to start deciphering the story of how we got here, how to get home, and what's standing in our way.

Anyway, sorry for the extended Post, I've got other thoughts, but figure I'm just writing too much!

[Kevin]

It'll take me a while to digest all of that, but I just want to say that that is some awesome feedback. Some of the ideas in there are actually in our production pipeline already...

...but I'm not going to say which ones!